ZAKA NEWSZAK A IN ACTION 24/7 OPERATION PILLAR OF DEFENSE. To donate:

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Trustees ZAKA IN ACTION 24/7 CHIEF RABBI LORD JONATHAN SACKS Patron of British Friends of ZAKA

1 December 2012 / Kislev 5773 / No 24 MEIR GURVITZ Chairman, ZAKA International Board Of Directors RAFAEL AHARONI President, ZAKA, Hong Kong Macau and China YAACOV PERI Chairman, ZAKA Board of Trustees ZAKA IN ACTION 24/7 CHIEF RABBI LORD JONATHAN SACKS Patron of British Friends of ZAKA YEHUDA MESHI ZAHAV ZAKA Chairman and Founder OPERATION PILLAR OF DEFENSE To donate:

As in previous hostilities, the people of Israel and the Diaspora came together as one, to help each other and to ensure that our volunteers had the equipment they needed to do their work.

2 Dear Friends of ZAKA, Welcome to another edition of NewsZAKA, bringing you up to date with some of the latest activities in the organization. This was an eventful last quarter for ZAKA, with the annual civil defense drill of Turning Point 6 followed shortly by Operation Pillar of Defense. As in previous hostilities, the people of Israel and the Diaspora came together as one, to help each other and to ensure that our volunteers had the equipment they needed to do their work. I wish to thank all of you who donated so quickly and so generously to ZAKA during this period, and in particular the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago. Without your assistance, the sacred work of the ZAKA volunteers could not continue. Thank you for your generosity. Secure donations can be made via our websites (dollars); (sterling) or (euros). Please forward this e-newsletter to family and friends. Yehuda Meshi-Zahav ZAKA Chairman Main Office: 234 Jaffo St. P.O. Box Jerusalem ISRAEL Tel Fax info@zaka.org.il USA: rd st. #170 Brooklyn N.Y USA Tel: Fax: office@zaka.us France: 20 bis rue Louis Philippe Neuilly sur Seine Tel Fax contact@zaka-fr.org England: 233a Golders Green Road London NW11 9ES Registered Charity No Tel: info@zaka.org.uk Canada: 6 Stormont Avenue Toronto, Ontario M5N 2B8 Canada info@zakafoundation.org HK, Macao & China c/o The Jewish Community Centre One Robinson Place 70 Robinson Road Mid Levels Hong Kong rafaelco@netvigator.com 2

ZAKA IN ACTION 24/7 OPERATION PILLAR OF DEFENSE As the events leading up to the launch of Operation Pillar of Defense on 14

and personnel in the Southern command area.

dispatched to the teams of volunteers in the south, to enable them volunteers to continue their sacred and life-saving work even

Working 24/7 In addition, ZAKA volunteers from the north and center of the country relocated to the south to increase the number of

In total, there were about 180 dedicated ZAKA volunteers who worked 24/7 throughout the southern region, ensuring a fast and

3 ZAKA IN ACTION 24/7 OPERATION PILLAR OF DEFENSE As the events leading up to the launch of Operation Pillar of Defense on 14 November began to unfold and crossborder activity began to intensify, ZAKA headquarters in Jerusalem began to reinforce supplies and personnel in the Southern command area. As a result of the worsening situation, urgently-needed supplies of protective vests, helmets and emergency medical supplies were dispatched to the teams of volunteers in the south, to enable them volunteers to continue their sacred and life-saving work even under the constant threat of missile attack. Working 24/7 In addition, ZAKA volunteers from the north and center of the country relocated to the south to increase the number of volunteers in the field. In total, there were about 180 dedicated ZAKA volunteers who worked 24/7 throughout the southern region, ensuring a fast and professional response to every incident. These volunteers and paramedics treated dozens of injured throughout the eight days of hostilities, rushing from incident to incident as soon as the call came over the beeper system. It should be remembered that these ZAKA volunteers not only had to deal with the trauma and tension of assisting with the injured and dead under constant missile attack, but they also had to leave their 3

dealing with the many residents who were suffering from shock etc.

The most serious incident occurred on 15 November, when three Israelis were killed and several others seriously injured in their homes in Kiryat Malachi.

4 own families at home, under attack. Even when the news outlets were reporting no injuries, there was plenty of work for the ZAKA volunteers to do, helping the emergency and security services secure the scene of the rocket attack, dealing with the many residents who were suffering from shock etc. Sacred work But, tragically, there were many injuries caused by the incessant rocket, mortar and missile barrages as homes, offices, schools, cars and buses were targeted and hit. The most serious incident occurred on 15 November, when three Israelis were killed and several others seriously injured in their homes in Kiryat Malachi. Only two of the eight ZAKA volunteers who attended to the scene of the direct hit in Kiryat Malachi home were wearing protective gear. However, this did not stop them from carrying out their life-saving work treating the injured. With painstaking care, they cleared the site of all human remains, ensuring a full Jewish burial for the victims even though other Code Red sirens warned of incoming missiles. A recent JTA article speaks of this painstaking ZAKA work: Can you get a ladder? yells Chaim Shteiner, one of the men in a yellow vest. Maybe the remains of the dead are stuck in the next tree, inside clothes that hang from burnt branches. They go all over the place, Shteiner says. I feel bad, but this is what you have to do. Protecting lives to save lives As soon as ZAKA supporters and friends around the world heard and saw how exposed and vulnerable so many of the ZAKA volunteers in the South were without protective gear, they rose to the occasion donating tens of sets of helmets and ceramic vests. Within a day, ZAKA volunteers received a most welcome delivery of protective gear, allowing them to continue their sacred work with that vital, life-saving equipment. Terror in Tel Aviv Terror returned to the streets of Tel Aviv after ten years on 21 November, when an explosive device detonated on bus 142 in the heart of the city, injuring 21 people, one of them seriously and another moderately. ZAKA volunteers were among the first to arrive at the scene, on Shaul Hamelech Street, and, together with the emergency services, treated the injured before their evacuation to the nearby Ichilov Hospital. ZAKA volunteer from the Gush Dan area Yoni Yosef was one of the first to arrive at the scene: There was a lot of panic and chaos. People were lying on the ground outside the bus. ZAKA and MDA teams arrived and began to treat the injured. After a long period without terror attacks of this type, the scenes take us back several years. ZAKA volunteer from the Gush Dan area Arele Klein: Thank G-d, no-one was killed in the attack. When we finished treating the injured and they had all been evacuated to hospital, ZAKA volunteers were asked by the emergency services to assist in searching the area for more casualties and then to evacuate the area for fear of another device or terrorist in the area. ZAKA in action During the eight days of the operation, about 180 ZAKA volunteers dealt with 4 civilians killed in the attacks and 240 people injured. With the end of hostilities, the ZAKA volunteers returned to routine a routine in which they remain on alert, ready to assist whenever and wherever they are needed. 4

south of Israel. This, after a Beit Shemesh resident heard about the lack of equipment in the unit and asked ZAKA to assist him in raising the money, purchasing and distributing the equipment.

5 THE PARATROOPERS NEED ZAKA! On the first day of Operation Pillar of Defense, ZAKA, in cooperation with the IDF, delivered packages of urgently-needed equipment to members of the Paratroopers Unit 202 which was serving in the south of Israel. This, after a Beit Shemesh resident heard about the lack of equipment in the unit and asked ZAKA to assist him in raising the money, purchasing and distributing the equipment. Within 24 hours, the call for donations went out and the money was donated via the ZAKA website by supporters in Israel, America and Britain. ZAKA volunteers, headed by ZAKA Chairman Yehuda Meshi-Zahav and some local supporters, drove down south to deliver the packages and raise the morale of the soldiers, who have been serving on the border at high alert for days. The packages included head flashlights, thermal shirts and all purpose, Swiss Army-style penknives. The ZAKA volunteers brought with them the love and support of friends around the world raising the morale of the soldiers who eagerly joined in the spontaneous singing and dancing. 5

MEIR GURVITZ APPOINTED PRESIDENT OF ZAKA At a tribute evening to the ZAKA Rescue and Recovery Organization attended by leading

Gurvitz will replace the incumbent President, Mr. Michael Mirilashvili, who has served in the role for the last three years.

President should be elected every three years.

The tribute evening, which took place in the Gurvitz residence in Savyon, near Tel Aviv, began with cocktails around the pool,

In one of the exercises, the divers vision was obscured in order to best replicate conditions in the deep, murky waters of the sea.

6 MEIR GURVITZ APPOINTED PRESIDENT OF ZAKA At a tribute evening to the ZAKA Rescue and Recovery Organization attended by leading business people and opinion-formers in Israeli society, Israeli businessman Meir Gurvitz was appointed President of ZAKA. Gurvitz will replace the incumbent President, Mr. Michael Mirilashvili, who has served in the role for the last three years. It was Mirilashvili himself who insisted that, in order to ensure maximum efficiency and to help ZAKA expand and develop, a new President should be elected every three years. Gurvitz served as deputy to Mirilashvili on the ZAKA International Board of Directors. The tribute evening, which took place in the Gurvitz residence in Savyon, near Tel Aviv, began with cocktails around the pool, where the invited guests watched a demonstration of underwater rescue techniques by the ZAKA Diving Unit. In one of the exercises, the divers vision was obscured in order to best replicate conditions in the deep, murky waters of the sea. Despite their limited vision, the ZAKA divers were successful in their mission of located the missing person. They also demonstrated the Underwater Scooter, which allows ZAKA divers to move swiftly through the water, hands free, to better deal with emergencies. After an intimate performance on the piano by 6

Israeli singer Archadi Duchin, the guests heard speeches by ZAKA Chairman and Founder Yehuda Meshi-Zahav, outgoing ZAKA President Michael

Thanking the invited guests for their generous support of the ZAKA organization on behalf of the thousands of volunteers, Meshi-Zahav

Mirilashvili that ZAKA volunteers have the unique ability to be among the first at any incident or disaster, be it in Israel or around the

President, as you continue to advance ZAKA as a professional search, rescue and recovery organization that honors the dead.

Hashem s name in the entire world: ZAKA volunteers are not only pioneers of Israel, but also the army of the Blessed Be He, standing at the

Mirilashvili thanked Gurvitz for taking on the role of ZAKA President, adding that it is fitting that ZAKA should have you as President.

and to offer my backing to the new President and the members of the board.

select team of business leaders, with G-d s help, I will invest time and effort to lead the ZAKA organization on the important road of

have the tools they need to continue their sacred work. Following the speeches, Mr. Gurvitz, Mr. Mirilashvili and Mr.

7 Israeli singer Archadi Duchin, the guests heard speeches by ZAKA Chairman and Founder Yehuda Meshi-Zahav, outgoing ZAKA President Michael Mirilashvili, the host of the evening and incoming ZAKA President Meir Gurvitz and Adv. Gideon Fisher, among others. Thanking the invited guests for their generous support of the ZAKA organization on behalf of the thousands of volunteers, Meshi-Zahav expressed his gratitude to outgoing ZAKA President Michael Mirilashvili: It is in the merit of Mr. Mirilashvili that ZAKA volunteers have the unique ability to be among the first at any incident or disaster, be it in Israel or around the world. Mehi-Zahav also welcomed the incoming President Mr. Meir Gurvitz, noting that thousands of ZAKA volunteers are behind you, Mr.President, as you continue to advance ZAKA as a professional search, rescue and recovery organization that honors the dead. Mirilashvili expressed his gratitude to Hashem for the merit that fell upon him to serve as the President of an organization that sanctifies Hashem s name in the entire world: ZAKA volunteers are not only pioneers of Israel, but also the army of the Blessed Be He, standing at the front line. Mirilashvili thanked Gurvitz for taking on the role of ZAKA President, adding that it is fitting that ZAKA should have you as President. I am not leaving ZAKA, I will remain an active member of this important organization for the rest of my life, I will continue to support it and to offer my backing to the new President and the members of the board. Meir Gurvitz expressed his gratitude for the trust and honor that he has been shown with his appointment as ZAKA President: Together with this select team of business leaders, with G-d s help, I will invest time and effort to lead the ZAKA organization on the important road of consolidation and economic independence, of expanding the scope of ZAKA s activities in Israel and overseas and ensuring that the volunteers have the tools they need to continue their sacred work. Following the speeches, Mr. Gurvitz, Mr. Mirilashvili and Mr. Meshi-Zahav were presented with a unique gift that serves as a reminder of ZAKA s sacred work the remains of a Kassam rocket that had been fashioned into an artistic sculpture. The rocket had fallen in Kiryat Malachi during the recent Operation Pillar of Defense, where it killed three Israelis. Among the invited guests were the former head of the Mossad Danny Yatom, retired Supreme Court Judge Eliyahu Vinegrad, Professor Manuel Trajtenberg, CEO of El Al Eliezer Shkedi and many others. 7

ZAKA MULTI-UNIT TRAINING EXERCISE IN TURNING POINT 6 Over 600 volunteers from six ZAKA units from all over Israel held a complex training exercise in October at Kibbutz Palmahim, within the

4 on the Richter scale, with its epicenter in the Mediterranean Sea about 50 miles off the coast of Israel.

a distance about 4 km, with dozens of bodies floating in the sea and dozens more thrown onto what used to be land the death toll added up to over 500.

8 ZAKA MULTI-UNIT TRAINING EXERCISE IN TURNING POINT 6 Over 600 volunteers from six ZAKA units from all over Israel held a complex training exercise in October at Kibbutz Palmahim, within the framework of Turning Point 6 the annual nationwide civil defense drill. This year, the drill simulated an earthquake measuring 7.4 on the Richter scale, with its epicenter in the Mediterranean Sea about 50 miles off the coast of Israel. In the drill, emergency centers were notified about a 15 meter-high tsunami wave that swept over Kibbutz Palmahim, where hundreds of bodies were seen strewn across the coastline and eastward of a distance about 4 km, with dozens of bodies floating in the sea and dozens more thrown onto what used to be land the death toll added up to over 500. The purpose of the drill was to enact a mass casualty incident in which various ZAKA units would operate (including Canine, Jeep, Divers and Jet-Ski Units) and to practice working together with ZAKA teams from around the country and with other emergency forces. ZAKA officers from all districts - North, South, Central, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv - arrived within an hour after the tsunami. Each 8

district was allocated an area with hundreds of casualties.

emergency room. Thereafter, they moved the bodies to the identification morgue.

Minister of Home Front Defense Avi Dichter, who observed the drill, was greatly impressed by the magnitude of the exercise and the professionalism of the volunteers as they attempted to locate the

9 district was allocated an area with hundreds of casualties. The volunteers collected the victims, documented all the information about the victim through ZAKA's new stateof-the-art Smartphone application which was then passed automatically to a disaster emergency room. Thereafter, they moved the bodies to the identification morgue. Simultaneously, the ZAKA Divers Unit searched the seas using specialist equipment; ZAKA's Jeep Unit searched the nearby beach dunes and the ZAKA Canine Unit searched on nearby dry land. Minister of Home Front Defense Avi Dichter, who observed the drill, was greatly impressed by the magnitude of the exercise and the professionalism of the volunteers as they attempted to locate the victims scattered throughout the area. The Minister concluded, quoting a phrase from the Israeli navy seals unit : "When the waves get stronger, the stronger people shine out. So too we see here, with the ZAKA volunteers who shine out with their dedication and professionalism. ZAKA Chairman Yehuda Meshi Zahav: "ZAKA has gained considerable experience in dealing with earthquake-related disasters, including, among others, Turkey, Thailand, Haiti and Japan. The drill is an extremely important facet of the organization. G-d forbid, should there be an earthquake in Israel, we are confident that this practice has improved ZAKA's fitness". Chaim Otmazgin, ZAKA's drill commander, said: "This is a very complex exercise that involves all units of ZAKA. We all hope it will just be an exercise and never need to be used in real life." 9

ZAKA PROGRAM FOR THE ISRAELI ARAB COMMUNITIES A unique ZAKA training program for the Israeli Arab communities in the Galilee was launched in late October 2012 in the presence of Senior Vice Prime

Friedman and leaders of the Moslem, Christian and Druze communities. More than 40 Israeli Arabs will receive training in honoring the dead in accordance with their traditions and religion.

identifying the victims and bringing them to burial.

10 ZAKA PROGRAM FOR THE ISRAELI ARAB COMMUNITIES A unique ZAKA training program for the Israeli Arab communities in the Galilee was launched in late October 2012 in the presence of Senior Vice Prime Minister and Minister for Regional Development and the Development of the Negev and Galilee Silvan Shalom, Deputy Minister Ayoob Kara, ZAKA Chairman Yehuda Meshi-Zahav, ZAKA North Commander Anshel Friedman and leaders of the Moslem, Christian and Druze communities. More than 40 Israeli Arabs will receive training in honoring the dead in accordance with their traditions and religion. The new course will take place in Kfar Rama in the Galilee, with a view to assisting the emergency services in times of disaster and allowing the community members to assist specifically in identifying the victims and bringing them to burial. Minister for Regional Development and the Development of the Negev and Galilee Silvan Shalom: It is important that we invest in training courses of this type for the simple reason that every person deserves respect and we must train others accordingly. We place the emphasis on the different attitudes and traditions in the various communities and we have prepared a course for volunteers accordingly. ZAKA Chairman Yehuda Meshi-Zahav; A guiding principle for ZAKA is the biblical verse that G-d created man in his image without reference to religion, race or creed. We in ZAKA work for the benefit of all and preserve the dignity of the dead on land, sea and in any place around the world. I personally believe that the more people are involved in giving to the community, so there will be peace and quiet among peoples. 10

J U N E / T A M M U Z / N o. 1 6

J U N E / T A M M U Z / N o. 1 6 NEWSZAK A J U N E 2 0 1 0 / T A M M U Z 5 7 7 0 / N o. 1 6 ZAKA DIVERS AND MARINE UNITS LEAD FLOTILLA OF SUPPORT FOR THE ISRAELI NAVY ALONG THE TEL AVIV COASTLINE To donate: http://www.zaka.us/donations.asp